Adjustable indicator.



No. 890,925. PATENTED JUNE 16, 1908. J. H. RAND.

' ADJUSTABLE INDICATOR.

APPLIOATION'HLED 00T.19. 1906.

O O. O.

GIE)

- of the improved indicator.

JAMES H. RAND, OF NEWTONVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS.

i A ADJUSTALE INDICATOR.A

specification of Letters Patent.

Patntedsune 16, 1908.

Application filed October 19, 1906. Serial No. 339,600.

To all whom 'it may concern: f

Be it known that I, J AMES H. RAND, a citizen of the United States,residing at Newtonville, in the county of Middlesex and State ofMassachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in AdjustableIndicators, of which the following is a specification. v

This invention relates to the class of adjustable indicators or indexescomprising a back or frame and a series of cards, slips or blocksbearing the desired names, numbers or other entries and held in theframe in such manner as to be capable of ready insertion, removal landadjustment for `changing the indicator from time to time as required. Anindicator of this character is described and shown in Letters Patent ofthe United States N o. 829,670, granted to me August 28, 1906.

It is the object of my present invention to improve and simplify theconstruction of the indicator with a view of facilitating the.in sertionand removal of the name-cards or blocks and reducing the cost ofthedevice.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a face view, partly insection, of one form Fig. 2 is a cross section in line 2 2, Fig. 1. Fig.3 is a face view, artly in section, of another form of the in `cator.Fig. 4 is a cross section in lille 4 4, Fig: 3. "r

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout theseveral vlews. a

The embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 1 and 2, is designed asan indicator` or directory for office-buildings. A indicates its back orframe, preferably constructed-ofsheet metal, such as tin. The frontedges of its sidewalls b are bent inwardly to form oposing guides orflanges b1, b2..

indicates the name or index-cards, tablets slips or blocks arranged inthe frame one below another and engaging under the guide-flanges b1, b2,so as to be held in place m the frame and yet v"lbe adjustable up and.down in the same upon removing one or more cards from the indicator.

At one side of the frame under the adja. cent guide-flange is arranged ayieldable fol# lower strip D which bears agalnsltthe contiguous ends .ofthe several index-cards C and presses the same` against the opposite vside Wall b of the frame, so as to reliably con'- ne them under theguide-flange of the lastnamed wall. In the construction shown inv card,t

the drawings, this yieldable follower is arranged at the left hand sideof the register and backed by a number of springs E of anyl .index-cardswhen in their normal position and the cards are of such a len th thatthey can be moved toward the left ar enough to clear the right-handflange b2.

In the indicator shown in Figs. land 2, the cards are comparatively thinand backed by a filling stri F of card board or other suitable materialextending from end to end of the indicator, but this strip may be.

omitted in some cases, if desired. When the name-tablets are of cardboard or other ileXible material, the filling strip F, which is as wideas the length of the tablets, serves as a stop which receives the thrustlof the spring-pressed follower in the normal osltion of the tablets,relieving the latter om such pressure and preventing them from bulgingor buckling which might otherwise occur. For this purpose, said fillingstrip when made of card board is comparatively thick and stiff. I

As shown in the drawings, the indicator may be provided with a cover GofCelluloid or other transparent material to protect the name-cards. Thiscover slides under the guide flanges b1, b2 and may bev provided at itsupper and lower ends with cord-loops g or other means for convenientlypulling it up or down in its guides. The cover is free to slide u ward,but its downward movement is limite b a stop-flange or shoulder h at thelower en of the frame.

In order to inserta card in the indicator, its left-hand end is placedunder the corresponding guide flange .b1 and ushed to the left againstthe resistance of t e follower D,

The flange b1 is of sufficient width to compressed s rings of thefollower react and shift the car under 'the last-named flange,

lockingl it in place. In order to remove. a e same is pushed to the leftbya pen knife or other means until its right hand end is clear of theguide ilange'l, when upon.

raising it above thev latter', the card willv .I

spring out from under the left-hand flange. The follower D preferablyconsists o a strip of spring steel or similar flexible mate- Y' namecards upon shifting them laterally, en-

abling a card to be removed without disturbing adjacent cards or causingthe same to dro out of the indicator-frame.

T en the improvement is used as a directory for oiiice-buildings, asuitable-number of the backs orframes are attached to av board orothersupport. The indicator may also be adapted to various other uses,such for example as a telephone directory, an automobile indicator forgarages, a price list for stores or a kitchen-accessory for indicatingthe articles or supplies to be ordered from time to time.

Figs. 3 and 4 show the invention embodied in a kitchen indicator. Thismay be constructed like the indicator first described, but the cards arepreferably replaced by wooden blocks C1 bearing the names of the variousarticles and` each having. a hole or socket 'i adapted to receive aremovable indicating peg y'. In the luse of this indicator, the pegsinserted inthe blocks indicate the articles to l be ordered, while thepegs not in use may be kept ina pocket` K at t e lower end ofthe frame.Inthis case, the name-blocks can be pushed tothe left by means ofthepegs, in removin them from the indicator; Or, if desired, l't e pointof a lead pencil, a knife-blade or other suitable instrument maybe'inserted sol inthe holes of the blocks for this purpose. Thecards ofthe first-described construction may also be provided with such holes,if desired. r

l claim as my invention:

1. An indicator comprising. aback having opposing guides, `a pluralityof removable'in-l dicating tablets arranged one below another, engagingsaid guides and shiftable both vertically and laterally therein, saidguides having means for normally preventing displace-4 ment of thetablets'in a lane at right angles to the back, and yie ding means actingagainst one end of the tablets forv normally holding their opposite endsinfengagement with the corresponding guide vwhile permittin the tabletsto be shifted laterally toward sai yielding means to clear thelast-named guide, substantially as 'set forth.

2. An indicator comprising a back having opposing gui/des providedv withinwardlyextending flanges, a plurality of removab e tablets arranged onebelow another, engaging under said flanges" and capable .of lateral A'movement, and yielding means acting against one enti of the `tablets forholding their opposite ends in engagement with the correspondingguide-angawh'ile permitting the tablets to be shifted laterally'torelease their lastnamed end from said flange, substantially as l setforth.

3. An indicator comprising aback, a guidearranged thereon, aspring-operatedmeinber movable onthe backrelatively to said guide,

engaging under said an es, afoll'ower bearing against one end -of t etabletsA and consisting of a flexible strip, and a backing spring forthe-follower, substantially as set 6. An indicator having side wallsprovided with inwardly-extending guide-flanges, a

er said flanges and made shorter' than -the distance between saidsidewalls, a follower ing against the'adjacent ends ofthe tablets, and abacking's ring for said follower, the guide-ange whic covers saidfollower being tablets when in their normal position, substantially asset forth.

der the anges of the walls and mova le both openings adaptedltoreceiveasuitable intablets and` permittin them to be shifted theflange of the adjacent wall, substantially asset forth.- A

8. An indicato` comprising a back, a guide arran ed thereon, a spring-oerated member mova le on the back relativ yto said guide, a plurality ofremovable indicating members vertical adjustment, 'opposite ends of saidsaid spring-operated member, respectively,

stantially as set forth'.

opposing guides, removable tablets engaging 'said guides, yiel g' meansacting against the forward movement of said means, substantially as setforth.'

and a plurality .of removable indicating plurality of removable tabletsengaging un- 7. An indicator comprising a back having opposin flangedwalls, tablets enga ing un strument for shifting them laterally, andyielding means acting'against one end'of the and means'for limiting theforward movement of lsaid spring-operated member) subone end of saidtablets for normally holding their opposite ends in engagement with thecorresponding guide, and-means for limitingl yielding opposingguide-flan es, removable tabletsarranged under one of said flanges andbearvertically andlaterally, the tablets having i laterally .to releasetheir opposite ends from arranged one below another and capable ofindicating members engaging said guide and 9. An indicator comprising-aback having 10. An indicator comprising a back having' opposing guides,removable tablets engaging said guides, a spring-pressed follower actingagainst one end of said tablet, and a stop ar:- ranged to receive thethrust of said follower in the normal position of the tablets,substantially as set forth.

11. An indicator comprising a backhaving opposing guides, removabletablets engaging said guides, a spring-pressed follower acting againstone end of said tablets, and a stop-i l Witness myhand this '16th day ofUetober, 15

JAMES H. RAND.

Witnesses:

A.. J. NELLIGAN, BENJN. P. HOLLIS.

